England gained the upper hand after a rain-hit first day of the final India vs England Test at The Oval on Thursday as the tourists, needing victory to square the series, battled to 204-6, with all their big guns dismissed cheaply.
England had to work hard for their breakthroughs and will be delighted to have got rid of KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Shubman Gill, the men who have tormented them throughout the summer, though captain Gill gifted his wicket with a suicidal run-out.
Even though there are four days remaining, India’s chances of fighting their way into a position where they could force a victory already look extremely slim.
The overcast morning conditions had looked ideal for England’s all-seam attack, even without injured captain Ben Stokes, but they lacked a cutting edge.
Gus Atkinson, playing his first match of the ongoing India vs England series, trapped Yashasvi Jaiswal lbw for two as stand-in captain Ollie Pope finally got on the right side of a DRS review after 14 unsuccessful appeals last year.
Rahul, with over 500 runs to his name from the first four matches, looked relatively untroubled before playing-on to Chris Woakes for 14 as India reached lunch on 72-2.
Gill, averaging over 90 and with four centuries to his name in the series, then inexplicably set off for a non-existent single and was run out by four yards as bowler Atkinson had time to transfer the ball to his right hand before throwing down the stumps.
Read more: WATCH: Shubman Gill throws away wicket while attempting a needless run
Shubman Gill had started the day with all sorts of records in his sights but, by adding only 21, he achieved only a couple as his tally of 743 took him beyond West Indies’ Garfield Sobers (722 in 1966) as the highest-scoring visiting captain and also moved him into the top nine for the most runs scored in a series in England – either for or against the hosts.
After a rain-delayed restart, a wayward Josh Tongue, whose first over lasted nine balls and went for 12 runs, finally found his line to nip the edge of Sai Sudharsan’s bat to dismiss him for 38.
Tongue repeated the feat soon afterwards to remove Jadeja – who scored a superb unbeaten century in his team’s rearguard action in the fourth India vs England Test – for nine and India were reeling on 123-5 with their big-hitters all gone, or in the case of Rishabh Pant, absent through injury.
Dhruv Jurel, a ball after overturning an lbw decision against him, then got tucked up by Gus Atkinson and was caught neatly at second slip by Harry Brook for 19.
Karun Nair batted calmly to finish on 52 not out and Washington Sundar, another centurion last Sunday, was on 19 at the close.
There was a painful end of the day for Woakes, who suffered a serious-looking shoulder injury after falling heavily as he dived to try to prevent a boundary, but it was a hugely satisfying return for Gus Atkinson, who finished the day with figures of two for 31 off 19 overs, in his first test since May.
“It was a good day. There was pressure on for the bowling side with the conditions that were overhead and 200-odd for six, we are happy with that,” he said. “An early wicket tomorrow and we will be in good position.
“It’s been two months or so since I last played for England. It has been frustrating. I haven’t played much cricket so it was pleasing I was available to play in this last test and I feel fresh.”
As well as his consistently-probing bowling, Gus Atkinson’s run out of Shubman Gill was a huge contribution to his country’s cause.
“I was surprised when he kept coming and I got the ball and was like ‘I need to hit here’,” he said. “It was pleasing to get him out like that.”